Antirattling device for leaf-springs.



W. E. NICKERSON.

ANHRATTLING DEVICE FOR LEAF SPRINGS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-16,1914.

Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

WILLIAM E. NICKFRSON, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS,

ASSIGNOR TO EVERETT D.

CHAIDWICK, TRUSTEE, OF WINCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

ANTIRATTLING DEVICE FOR LEAF-SPRINGS.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 7,1915.

Application filed January 16, 1914. Serial No. 812,536.

son, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex andState of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Antirattling Devices for Leaf-Springs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for use in-connection with the pivoted yokes commonly employed in leaf springs for preventing excessive separation of the ends of short leaves from the longer leaves on which they rest. A considerable amount of play is necessarily provided for the leaves within these yokes in order that the leaves may have sufficient freedom of motion to accommodate themselves to the changes in shape which the springs undergo when in use,-and the result is that the yokes are apt to turn on their pivots from one side to the other and strike against the adjacent parts, thus producing a rattle which is particularly objectionable when such springs are used in automobiles. My invention is intendedto overcome this objection, and resides in a device constructed substantially as hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of an automobile frame and its supporting spring; with the preferred form of my antirattling device applied thereto; Fig. 2, which is drawn to L-larger scale, is a longitudinal section through a portion of the spring and applied device; Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the parts shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the anti-rattling device shown in Figs. 2 and 3; Fig. 5 is an edge view of the same; and Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views illustrating a somewhat modified form of the device.

In Fig. 1 of thedrawings, 2 indicates the front end of a side frame such as is commonly employed in automobiles, 3 indicates the front half of a semi-elliptical leaf spring by which the frame 2 is supported, 4: indicates a cross bar to which the middleportion of the spring 3 is clamped in the usual manner, and 5 indicates a common form of yoke,

' the ends of which are pivotally mounted on a. pin 6 passing through the end of one of the shorter leaves of the spring 3, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, with the body of the yoke extending upward and across the upper face of the spring at such a distance above the same as to provide for the necessary relative movements of the adjacent spring leaves under the conditions of use. In' order to prevent the yoke 5 from turnmg on its pivot 6 and striking against the top of the spring, I interpose between the transversely-extending middle portion of the yoke and the underlying leaf of the spring an anti-rattling device which consists in its preferred form of a disk 7 made of spring metal and curved in one direction as shown in Fig. 5, with notches 8 in its edges at opposite ends of the line of curvature. This disk is applied to the yoke5 by pressing it flat and sliding it under the transverse portion of the yoke until the notches 8 are brought beneath the same, whereupon the side edges of the disk-spring upward and receive the yoke within said notches 8, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and this relation of the parts is then maintained by the spring action-of the disk, which bears centrally on the underlying spring leaf and at its side edges against the underside of the yoke. The yoke is thus prevented from swinging to one side or the other but the freedom of motion of the spring leaves within the yoke is not interfered with, the disk 7 being itself capable of flattening more or less under the varying pressures imposed upon it.

Another form of the device is shown in Figs. 6 and 7, in which 7 is a substantially rectangular strip of metal having marginal portions 9 which are severed from the bod of the strip tothe extent indicated by the lines 10',"leaving said marginal portions in tegral with the body of the strip about midway of the'length ofthe same. This strip, after having been out to the form shown in Fig. (1 and given a slight longitudinal curvrro.

ature, is given a spring temper, and then the temper is drawn from the marginal portions 9 in such manner that the resiliency of the body portion of the strip is not destroyed, whereupon the device may be combined with a leaf sprin such as 3 and its yoke'5 by sliding one end of the strip 7' between the transversely extending portion of the yoke yoke embraced between the upturned remnants of said marginal portions, and thereupon the device will operate in the same way I claim as my invention: -1. An anti rattling device adapted to be inserted between the face of an assembled leaf spring-and the transversely-extending portion of a yoke embracing said spring,

. said. device being made of thinspring metal and having a slight continuous curvature in one direction, whereby it is provided on opposite faces with bearing'surfaces adapted to press respectively against said spring and voke; and being also provided at its side,

and with the same results as the disk 7 above edges with recesses facing toward and described. The curvature of the strip 7 is adapted to receive the under side of said lengthwise of the spring 3 while that of the transversely-extending portion of the yoke. disk 7 is transverse to the length of the 2. Ananti-rattling device consisting of a spring, but this does not affect the operation. disk made of thin spring metal and having a That form of my device which is shown in slight continuous curvature in one direction, Fig. l is preferred to that shown in Fig. 7. said disk being provided at the ends of the for the .reason that it does not require to 'lineof curvature with recesses facing in the have the temper device drawn from any part opposite direction from the convex side of of it and is otherwise less expensive to manu-' the disk; whereby the device is adapted lto facture, and also because its contour is free be inserted between the face of an assembled from projecting points which might catch leaf spring and the transversely-extending I on sponges, wash cloths" and the'like, but portion of a yoke embracing said spring, both forms of the device have been found to with the under side of said yoke located in be efficient fortheir intended purpose. said recesses and the convex side of the device bearing against the face of the spring.

In testimony whereof, Iyhave hereunto; subscribed my name thisfifteenthday of- January, 1914. v

WILLIAM E. NICKEBSON. Witnesses: a 9 E. D."CHADWICK,

E. KENT. 

